# NTSB DEN04LA010: Mooney M20K, N5659L, Grand Junction, CO, October 14, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 14, 2003, 15:56 local (21:56 UTC) - Place: Grand Junction, CO - Coordinates: 39.122222, -108.526664 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1222&lon=-108.5267&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Salt Lake City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58180 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58180/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA010 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall and hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - high density altitude - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - sudden windshift (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis According to the pilot, he had completed an uneventful touch-and-go landing on runway 29 using an approach speed of 67 knots. On the second touch-and-go landing, he used an approach speed of 70 knots. He stated that the airplane's airspeed was stable around the pattern. However, just short of the runway, at approximately 30 feet agl, he encountered a slight "burble." He initiated full power, and when he dropped the nose of the airplane a few degrees, he encountered a second "burble." The pilot stated that "the airplane literally fell out of the sky" and struck the runway. The impact with the runway separated the right main landing gear and the separated right main landing gear struck the right horizontal stabilizer. The nose landing gear collapsed, the right wing tip and propeller struck the runway, and the airplane slid approximately 150 feet. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and the right horizontal stabilizer. The reported weather conditions at 1553 and 1604, indicated a shift in wind, from 310 degrees at 5 knots to 280 degrees at 8 knots respectively. ## Factual narrative On October 14, 2003, at 1556 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20K, N5659L, operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Walker Field (GJT), Grand Junction, Colorado. The airline transport certificated pilot, and an airline transport certificated passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this local flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at approximately 1530. According to the pilot, he had completed an uneventful touch-and-go landing on runway 29 using an approach speed of 67 knots. On the second touch-and-go landing, he used an approach speed of 70 knots. The airplane's airspeed was stable around the pattern. Just short of the runway, at approximately 30 feet agl, he encountered a slight "burble." He initiated full power, and as he dropped the nose of the airplane a few degrees, he encountered a second "burble." The pilot stated that "the airplane literally fell out of the sky" and struck the runway. The impact with the runway separated the right main landing gear and the separated right main landing gear struck the right horizontal stabilizer. The nose landing gear collapsed, the right wing tip and propeller struck the runway, and the airplane slid approximately 150 feet. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and the right horizontal stabilizer. At 1553, the reported weather at Walker Field (elevation 4,858 feet msl) was: wind, 310 degrees at 8 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 19 degrees C.; dew point, minus 17 degrees C.; altimeter setting, 30.08. The calculated density altitude was 6,327 feet msl. At 1604, the reported weather at Walker Field was: wind, 280 degrees at 5 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 19 degrees C.; dew point, minus 16 degrees C.; altimeter setting, 30.07. The calculated density altitude was 6,336 feet msl. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5659L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5659L), registered now, S/N 25-0762, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mooney M20K - Registry model: [Mooney M20K](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20k) (registry code 5870220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-0762 - Airframe hours: 2248 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gary R. Hanson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 16, 2003, 1.5 hours before - Departed: GJT, Grand Junction, CO - Destination: GJT, Grand Junction, CO - Airport: GJT, Walker Field, runway 290, 10,501 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 8, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 26,000 total, 2,248 in this make and model, 18,000 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 1 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: GJT ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031014026529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031014026529A), Oct 14, 2003: Mooney M20K, Grand Junction, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was on final approach for his second touch and go. Approach speed was set at 70 KTS with wings level, at about 30 to 40 feet AGL there was a shimmy… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.